Relation between early life socioeconomic position and all cause mortality in two generations. A longitudinal study of Danish men born in 1953 and their parents

Objective: To examine (1) the relation between parental socioeconomic position and all cause mortality in two generations, (2) the relative importance of mother’s educational status and father’s occupational status on offspring mortality, and (3) the effect of factors in the family environment on these relations. Design: A longitudinal study with record linkage to the Civil Registration System. The data were analysed using Cox regression models. Setting: Copenhagen, Denmark. Subjects: 2890 men born in 1953, whose mothers were interviewed regarding family social background in 1968. The vital status of this population and their parents was ascertained from April 1968 to January 2002. Main outcome measures: All cause mortality in study participants, their mothers, and fathers. Results: A similar pattern of relations was found between parental social position and all cause mortality in adult life in the three triads of father, mother, and offspring constituted of the cohort of men born in 1953, their parents, and grandparents. The educational status of mothers showed no independent effect on total mortality when father’s occupational social class was included in the model in either of the triads. Low material wealth was the indicator that remained significantly associated with adult all cause mortality in a model also including parental social position and the intellectual climate of the family in 1968. In the men born in 1953 the influence of material wealth was strongest for deaths later in adult life. Conclusion: Father’s occupational social class is associated with adult mortality in all members of the mother-father-offspring triad. Material wealth seems to be an explanatory factor for this association

Salinity tolerance screening for biodiesel cultivars

Non-Peer Reviewe

The impact of DCD and NBPT concentration on nitrification and volatilization

Non-Peer ReviewedNitrification inhibitors are used in agriculture to slow the conversion of ammonium to nitrate by inhibiting ammonia monoxygenace (AMO), which is found within the Nitrosomonas bacteria. There are two ways to inhibit nitrification of the AMO enzyme, namely, (a) competitive inhibition: The inhibitor will compete to occupy AMO's active site; by blocking the active site, it slows the conversion of ammonium to nitrate preventing loss of nitrates, and, (b) non-competitive inhibition: The inhibitor can temporarily inactivate the AMO enzyme by altering the active site. Dicyandiamide (DCD) is a competitive inhibitor. The amount of DCD delivered by a product has a direct impact on how well a product will inhibit loss of nitrogen through nitrification. Research shows the concentration of DCD in the soil has a direct influence on the percent of nitrification. Higher concentrations of DCD equate to higher percentage of nitrification inhibition. The results of a two-year program that compares two products, one containing 8500 ppm and one 870ppm of DCD and approximately equal concentration of a volatilization inhibitor will be presented

Short rotation forage legumes provide N fertility for wheat and canola crops

Non-Peer Reviewe

Urea treatment affects safe rates of seed placed nitrogen in Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedPlacing urea in close proximity to seed can cause seedling damage resulting in poor crop establishment. Plant densities are often well below the optimum, and plants that do emerge can exhibit poor vigor. Several strategies have been developed to reduce risk of seed damage from urea. Restricting the amount that is seed placed, placing urea at a safe distance and placement before or after seeding are effective but may not allow for application of adequate N or increase equipment and operating costs. Recently treatments applied to the urea granule such as Agrotain and polymer coating have been developed to slow the conversion to ammonium. Research suggests that the safe rate of N can be increased by 50% where Agrotain is used and are less clear when polymer coatings are used. To demonstrate how Agrotain and polymer treated urea affect crop establishment and yield, rates of 0, 1, 1.5, 2 and 4 times the recommended safe rate were seed placed at Scott, Swift Current, Canora and Redvers, Saskatchewan. Trials were conducted with wheat at all locations, and canola at Scott. Seed placed untreated urea was used as a check. As well, an alternate option using seed placed untreated urea followed by liquid urea ammonium nitrate dribble banded 20 to 35 days after seeding was investigated. Impact of treatments on plant density varied with rainfall across locations. Sites with lower precipitation after seeding indicated more severe damage to seedlings. Untreated urea placed with the seed had the greatest impact on plant density but, Agrotain and polymer treatments also led to decreases at high N rates. The improvement of Agrotain over untreated urea generally confirmed manufacturer recommendations that safe rates of seed placed urea can be increased by about 50%. The polymer was very effective at reducing damage from seed placed urea, but still generally resulted in fewer plants than side band at 4 times the recommended rate of N. Grain yield responses were also variable across locations. At most sites where plant stand reductions were high yield was also affected. Differences between all treatments were small at N rates up to 2 times the recommended rate but at 4 times, yield was reduced for Agrotain treated and untreated seed placed N. For treatments where liquid dribble band was compared to side banding little difference in yield was observed when soil residual N was high and precipitation was low. A reduction in yield was found when soil N and precipitation were low. Where the N supply from soil was large and precipitation higher, yield of dribble banded crop continued to respond after side banded crops had peaked

Response of canola to low plant populations and evaluation of reseeding options

Non-Peer Reviewe

Physiological Responses and Physical Performance during Football in the Heat

PURPOSE: To examine the impact of hot ambient conditions on physical performance and physiological responses during football match-play. METHODS: Two experimental games were completed in temperate (∼ 21°C; CON) and hot ambient conditions (∼ 43°C; HOT). Physical performance was assessed by match analysis in 17 male elite players during the games and a repeated sprint test was conducted after the two game trials. Core and muscle temperature were measured and blood samples were obtained, before and after the games. RESULTS: Muscle and core temperatures were ∼ 1°C higher (P<0.05) in HOT (40.3 ± 0.1 and 39.5 ± 0.1°C, respectively) compared to CON (39.2 ± 0.1 and 38.3 ± 0.1°C). Average heart rate, plasma lactate concentration, body weight loss as well as post-game sprint performance were similar between the two conditions. Total game distance declined (P<0.05) by 7% and high intensity running (>14 km ⋅ h(-1)) by 26% in HOT compared to CON), but peak sprint speed was 4% higher (P<0.05) in HOT than in CON, while there were no differences in the quantity or length of sprints (>24 km ⋅ h(-1)) between CON and HOT. In HOT, success rates for passes and crosses were 8 and 9% higher (P<0.05), respectively, compared to CON. Delta increase in core temperature and absolute core temperature in HOT were correlated to total game distance in the heat (r = 0.85 and r = 0.53, respectively; P<0.05), whereas, total and high intensity distance deficit between CON and HOT were not correlated to absolute or delta changes in muscle or core temperature. CONCLUSION: Total game distance and especially high intensity running were lower during a football game in the heat, but these changes were not directly related to the absolute or relative changes in core or muscle temperature. However, peak sprinting speed and execution of successful passes and crosses were improved in the HOT condition

Response of cereals to fertilizer N on pulse and other stubbles

Non-Peer ReviewedTo optimize cropping systems requires knowledge of effects of the preceding crop on the grain yield and protein and the response to N of a following cereal crop. To gain this knowledge, we grew hard red spring (HRS) wheat, durum wheat, Canadian Prairie Spring (CPS)-class wheat, Canadian Western Extra Strong (CWES)-class wheat, and barley on barley, bean, coriander, fenugreek, kabuli chickpea, lentil, mustard, and pea stubble at different N fertilizer rates over 9 site-yr: Swift Current (1998-2002), Redvers (2001-02), and Canora (1999 and 2002). N rates were medium (recommended rate based on fall soil nitrate in cereal stubble), low (15-30 kg ha-1 less than medium) and high (15-30 kg ha-1). There was a significant effect of stubble on subsequent cereal grain yield. Cereal on cereal stubble was consistently lowest or second lowest yielding (typically 100 – 800 kg ha-1 lower than other stubbles) with the exception of 2001 at Swift Current when it was the highest yielding. This latter effect was attributed to the superior moisture conserving benefits of cereal stubble during this year with extreme early drought. No single cereal crop was consistently highest or lowest yielding. The trend was for greatest grain protein on pulse stubbles although stubble effects on protein were not as great as on yield owing to confounding yield dilution effects. Within this narrow range of fertilizer N rates, yield or protein response to N was weak. Generally, there were no significant interactions between stubble and cereal crop or stubble and fertilizer indicating the effect of stubble was consistent across cereal type and N rates. The cereal yield and protein response to N on the non-cereal stubbles was not significantly different than that on cereal stubble with the exception that barley protein responded more positively to N on lentil stubble than on cereal stubble. Cereals grown on pulse stubbles tended to have higher yields and protein than on other stubbles. For HRS wheat and durum, the chance of achieving high protein grain was greatest with high fertilizer N on pea stubble (>75% of years). Applying a high fertilizer N rate on cereal stubbles did not markedly increase the chance of attaining high protein wheat or durum. For barley, where low protein is desired for malting, the best chance for low protein barley was on cereal and mustard stubble although barley protein appeared less affected by stubble and fertilizer N than wheat or durum

Optimizing N fertilizer rates for seed yield in Camelina sativa and Brassica carinata

Non-Peer Reviewe